


Anathema

by Tari_Sue



Series: Camelot Land [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 16:36:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1192200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tari_Sue/pseuds/Tari_Sue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur tries to sort out his feelings for Merlin</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anathema

Merlin is anathema to Arthur.

He goes about doing everything the _wrong_ way. Wrong, wrong and thrice more wrong. Arthur simply cannot stand him. It’s like they are not the same species. Merlin is indeed evil; it’s the only explanation.

Perhaps it’s the lack of father figure in Merlin’s life. He has no self-respect, no sense of pride. Like the other day, when he tripped over his great big feet in the middle of the weekly meeting with all the share holders watching. _Uther_ had been there. Merlin had got up laughing and taken a bow while everyone sniggered at him. Arthur would have been mortified if it had been him, but then, things like that just don’t happen to Arthur. He tries very hard to ensure it.

The thing is, Merlin is happier than Arthur. That much is plain for anyone to see. Even with his poxy 2.1 from some insignificant ex-polytechnic in an Arts major and no postgrad; as opposed to Arthur’s First and follow-up PHD from Cambridge (an MSc, thank you very much, no pathetic BAs here) and his post-doc from Harvard. But then, Merlin never had someone push him to be the very best like Arthur did, and so he claims to be quite happy with his ‘Attila’ (he claims Arthur has a Damian as in Damian Hirst, First, when everyone knows that a First is a Geoff Hurst, football trumps some poxy artist).

So, basically, when Arthur was spending his teenage years and a large part of his twenties studying all the hours to make sure he got the only grades his father would accept, Merlin was out making friends and having fun. Merlin, who never seemed to have to try at anything, it all just fell straight into his lap. And how Arthur hates him for it.

Merlin is outgoing and friendly and everyone (except Arthur… and Uther) likes him. He talks the same way to the cleaner as he does to the CEO (and as such Uther believes him mentally deficient) and he can’t walk down the street without meeting or making friends. Arthur can’t do that. Arthur has never been able to do that. He’s always had to make the _right_ friends – those preapproved by his father. Oh, he can make small talk, he’s been doing that since he was small, but it is always empty words wasted on empty people. Around everyone else he says little. As just himself, he wouldn’t know what to say.

Merlin is gay. Openly gay. And he doesn’t even attempt to hide it. It’s almost like he’s _proud_ of it. Like it doesn’t even bother him that everyone knows he likes cock – that he gets up to the sort of things that other people only ever experience in their darkest, most shameful, dreams. Merlin flaunts it, with his sinful lips and tight jeans. He is the very devil incarnate, sent to tempt Arthur.

Merlin can’t take no for an answer. Most people accept a knock back manfully – take it on the chin and move on. Not Merlin. Even when they patiently tell him that no, they are not interested and, incidentally, not gay, he still persists.

Uther does not approve of homosexuality. Uther does not approve of a great many things. Arthur strives to make sure he is not one of them. He rarely seems to succeed.

Uther does not approve of Merlin.

Arthur is going out tonight. He checks his reflection in the mirror before he goes and is satisfied with the result. A pair of jeans Morgana bought him two Christmases ago that he’s not had the opportunity to wear yet with a dark-red shirt and nice tie. He thinks he looks smart casual.

The first thing Merlin does is remove the tie.

 

 


End file.
